Wednesday, March 05, 2008The joys of being sick
I've figured out the location of the island on Lost. It's not somewhere off Fiji. It's right here off of downtown Smyrna. It's located in the Kroger Pharmacy at the Sam Ridley location.

Seriously, there must be some kind of time rift between the real, outside world and the world inside the pharmacy. I had to make use of the pharmacy this week--I've been lucky enough to get the flu that's going around (my advice: If you can avoid it, do!). After going to a "Doc in the Box" at the local CVS, I was asked where I'd like my prescription filled. Foolish me, I said Kroger because I'd used them before and in my fevered state, I forgot what a ludicrous island of insanity it could be. Plus I figured the prescription was being sent electronically, it's get there quickly and I'd not have the hassle of filling out umpteen insurance forms at the CVS.

Looking back, I should have just filled out the forms at the CVS.

I journeyed from CVS to Kroger and went into the pharmacy with a copy of my prescription in hand. I went up to the counter, said it had been sent electronically and asked if I could confirmed if it was there and how long it would take to fill. I figured if it was going to be more than five to ten minutes, I'd go home and rest in the comfort of my own bed and beg a family member to pick up said prescription for me. The pharmacy person said it hadn't arrived but she'd check in a second and let me know. If I'd sit and wait, someone would get right to me with the information.

Apparently, I missed the memo that said it was "come into Kroger and be argumentative" day. Because I took a seat and was promptly forgotten. Being the observer of human nature that I am, I was sort of amused by the woman who had multiple prescriptions to pick up, but only wanted one. And would only pay for it after they'd opened it, she'd visually confirmed what it was and they'd counted it out for her. I wasn't sure what the story was, but I strongly believe there's some kind of statement about the status of health care in our country buried in there. Forgive me if I'm just too tired from the flu to string the pieces together.

Then, there was the guy who was upset the price of his medication had gone up. And was ready to argue over this for 20 minutes. As a line built up behind him. Apparently it took the entire staff of the pharmacy to fend off his eloquent debate tactic of, "I never paid this much before" which he repeated time after time after time. As I watched a line grow, I got up, hoping that maybe I'd not lose any more ground. At this point, I was debating between going home for a nap and coming back later or if it was one of those I'd missed hearing my name called due to this guy. Again, in my flu-symptom state, I can't say my mind was working clearly. That said, I was far more patient than the guy in front of me who said the guy was going to need some pain medication if he didn't just buy the damn prescription or not and let the rest of us have our turn. I don't think he'd have had to work too hard to get up a lynch mob right there in the middle of Kroger.

Anyway, I finally got up and this was after an hour of waiting. And my prescription had just come through. Hence my theory that Kroger pharmacy and the island on Lost....same location.